SHRI SAI LEELA
JULY 1974 CONTENTS
2.
Science of Religion by Swami Chinmayariand
3.
Saint Eknath by Dr. S. D. Parchure
4.
Science and Vedanta by Shri V. S. Pandu rangam
5.
Saints or Thugs ? by
Bakht N. Moolchandani
6.
The spiritual Importance of Guru Poornima by
Swami Kesavaiahji
7.
Sai Baba-a loving mother by Shri Sai Padananda
Radhakrishna Swami
8. Yogiraj
Vasudevanand Saraswati by Shri S. N. Huddar
SHRISAILEELA
( Official
Organ of Shirdi Sansthan)
VOLUME 53 JULY
1974 No. 4
It is a common place observation that in spite of apparent worldly prosperity, most people are far from happy. The reason is not far to seek. Material pleasures by themselves do not lead to lasting happiness. Amassing of wealth and acquisition of power bring in their wake other problems which contribute to misery rather than happiness. The conflicts and contradictions in the world of today are attributable to the exclusive pursuit of material pleasures, and the ignoring of the spiritual satisfactions. The remedy for this state of affairs is that man should endeavour to rise above the self and seek a higher life. A necessary precondition for such a higher life is the liquidation of all basic traits to make way for the cultivation of a higher purpose in life.
Editor :
Shri K. S.
PATHAK Receiver, Shirdi Sansthan of Shri Sai Baba
Executive
Editors : Dr. S. D. Parchure M. A. Ph. D.
Shri Sadanand
Chendwankar B. Sc., S. T. C. R. B.
Pravin.
Annual Subscription Rs. 6.00 Single Copy Rs. 0'60
Office :
Sai Niketan,
804-B, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar, Bombay PIN 400 014.
Tel : 443361
Editorial
The last day of the last month (June 1974) was the Ashadhi Ekadashiday. Everywhere we could hear the Bhajan and "Dnyanoba Tukaram" which is-a speciality of Ashadhi Ekadashi. It is because of this special feature that this Ekadashi is known to one and all but apart from this importance of this Ekadashi this day has got some further importance also. It signifies the advent of Chaturmas-the collection of four holy months of the year.
Our country is
a country of farmers. We are mainly depending on the crops that we reap after
the monsoon. We are still depending mainly on the rain for our annual food
production. These days of monsoon are therefore very important for us. It may
be because of this peculiar position that the months of monsoon have
synchronised with our holy months of the year.
The
"Chaturmas" begins on the Ekadashi in the month of Ashadha and ends
with the Ekadashi in the month of Kartik. During these four months we have lot
of festivals. Some are religious in nature while others have a social
significance and importance-Immediately after the advent of Chaturmas we get
the Guru Poornima. Thereafter comes the month of Shravana. This month is full
of important days. Shravana Mondays are important for the worship of Lord
Shankar. The Poornima in this month is the Narali Poornima which marks the end
of heavy rain and the throwing of the coconut in the sea appeases the sea and
it calms down.
The Nag
Panchami which is famous for the worship of the serpents and the Gokul Ashtami
which is the day of the worship of Lord Krishna are both coming in this month.
The atmosphere js quite gay in this month. There is greenary everywhere, The
crops are growing with full bloom in the fields. All trees are decorated with
flowers of varied colours, which are competing with the colours of the Rainbow.
Nature and the minds of the people are hilarious. It is therefore no wonder
that our forefathers, who were having perfect communion with nature, included
this month of Shravan in the four holy months of the year.
Bhadrapad, the
next month is a month of festivals. The first half of the month is dedicated to
the worship of Ganapati. In Maharashtra this festival is Celebrated in two
ways. The idol worsip is done in individual houses and in the public festivals
lectures, music programmes and other items of entertainment are held for all
the ten days. Mile long processions are a common feature at the time of the
immersion of the idol of Ganapati. The second half of this month is dedicated
to the remembrance of the forefathers who have gone to heaven. In this period
everybody is expected to feed his near relatives at the religious ceremony
which is held in memory of the departed souls. During this fortnight every
house is echoing with the Sweet memories of the departed ancestors.
The month of
Ashwin starts with the "Navratri" as it is called in Maharashtra and
Gujarat. Public programmes of entertainment are held during all the nine
nights in this festival and Dasara marks the end of this festival. In Bengal
this festival is called "Durga-Pooja" and there it has importance
even more than the Diwali festival. The Schools will be having holidays. The
magazines will be bringing special "Pooja" numbers and the Railways
will be offering special concessions for traveling. The Dasara processions at
Mysore and Baroda were quite famous for their pomp and splendour.
The Poornima in
this month is known as "The Kojagiri Poornima." During the days of
monsoon the sky is usually overcast with clouds and the moon can hardly be
seen. Hence we are more or less deprived of the beauty and splendour of the
moonlight. On this full moon day the sky is usually bright and clear and the
people enjoy this moonlight on a large scale. Games are played and coffee and
milk are drunk during the whole of the night especially by the young
generation.
The second half
of the Ashwin is spent in making preparation for the Diwali festival, which
comes at the end of Ashwin. This festival is the most important festival of the
year in the Maharashtra and Gujarat states. Feasting with your friends and
relatives is the common way of enjoyment during this festival. Illuminations
are also done on a large scale in this festival, because the very name of the
festival Diwali or Deepawali (a row of lights) refers to illumination. The
magazines in the aforesaid states have their special numbers for Diwali and
they are widely read. New clothes are usually prepared for the festival and
even gold and pearl ornaments are often made for the occasion. Firing of
crackers is a favourite pass time of the children during these days and because
people are in a purchasing mood the shopkeepers are declaring "grand
reduction sales" in the Diwali season. The newly-wed couples always celebrate
their first Diwali on a grand scale and the son-in-law will always be fondled
and entertained at the time of the first Diwali after the marriage by the
Father-in-law and Mother-in-law. The last two days of Ashwin and the first two
days of Kartik are usually the days of the Diwali festival. The Ekadashi in the
first half of the month of Kartik marks the end of the Chaturmas.
It will be seen
from the aforesaid festivals, that are celebrated during the Chaturmas every
year, that these four months of the year are the months of festival. Out of
these festivals a large number consists of religious functions. Our forefathers
have always had the foresight of linking up our physical well being with our
religious practices. Hence in a number of festivals the fast has been linked up
as a part of the religious festival. The Mondays in the month of Shravan, the
Gokul Ashtami and Ekadashi days are all the days of fast. The days of monsoon
are not usually healthy days in our country. Where river water was being used
for drinking, it used to become turbid and this new water was likely to be
contaminated. Hence observance of fast used to counteract these unhealthy
conditions and help the people to maintain their health.
Observance of
certain vows for Chaturmas is a common practice. Those readers who, must have been reading the issues of this
magazine closely must have observed that Yogiraj Vasudevanand Saraswati used to
observe some special vow during every Chaturmas. During these four months he
used to have some special religious practices. Hence we all as Sai devotees, must also undertake to have some
religious vow during the Chaturmas.
The religious vows are of various nature. Some religious books like Mahabharat, Bhagwat or Sai Satcharit
could be read everyday according to the time available to everyone. Somebody could undertake to pay a daily
visit to a certain temple. Others could take a vow to do "jap" of a
certain mantra for a certain number of times everyday. Abstaining from a certain daily eatable
like tea, coffee, sugar, rice, wheat etc. for Chaturmas is also another vow
which certain people are taking. The
vow may be anything. The details of
each vow might be different; but they are ultimately meant for attaining peace
of mind, control over the mind, conservation of energy etc. The real meaning of
life is sacrifice and not enjoyment. Hence the proper meaning of observance of
the Chaturmas should be understood and we should do well to behave in this
period in such a way that the Chaturmas will be utilized utmost for religious,
purposes.
Our readers
will be shocked to listen to the news of the sad demise of Prof. Dabhade of
Indore. He used to contribute articles to Shri Sai Leela occasionaly. Prof.
Dabhade started his career as an humble teacher and was first appointed as a
Professor at Ujjain in the Vikram University. He later on came to Indore and
was the head of the Marathi Department in the Atrs College at Indore. He had a
good Command over the Marathi and Hindi languages and had contributed a number
of articles on religious subjects both in Hindi and Marathi. On his way to
Bangalore he succumbed to a heart attack on the Tanali station near Hyderabad.
He was aged only fifty five. May the departed soul rest in peace !
THE SCIENCE OF
RELIGION
Secret Fullness
in Self Control
Lord Krishna
gives us a very striking example to bring home, in all its tragic vividness, the
wasteful self-destruction of the life of one who has no self-control.
(11-67) "One,
whose mind implicitly follows the wandering fancies of his senses, can have no
discrimination : his intellect drifts as a boat in the open seas lashed about
by the wild winds." In our explosive days of youthful vigour we may
not independently come to review the consequences of our excesses. Thrust by
the impatience of passions, and the surge of our baser hungers, we may dash
ahead into fields of easy joys and get emptied of all our strength and
abilities.
The
Geeta-acharya here clearly points out the dire consequences of a life of cheap
dissipations. One who yields readily (Yanmanonu vidheeyate) and runs after the
intemperate senses (Indrayanaam hi charataam) his intellectual powers and
alertness (parajnam) is smuggled out of him (tadasya harati).
When once the
power of the discriminating intellect abdicates, the mind becomes an easy prey
to the whims and fancies of the sense-organs. They are essentially made up of
gross matter, and so they seek and discover their fulfilment in the outer world
of material objects. The storms of their passion toss the helpless mind which
has now no captain to steer it clear of dangers, and give it a direction and a
definite harbour to reach. True, a rudderless ship, with its captain dead, on
the open seas, becomes a plaything to be tossed about by the whimsical winds,
to founder and dash against an unseen rock. So too the life of a man of no
self-control wrecks and founders, achieving nothing, reaching nowhere, sinking
into the slims of a watery grave. Man, a promising young man, who would perhaps
have reached dizzy heights and climbed to shine in his achievements is laid low
in disease and death by his own wild passions and stormy lusts. Any young man
of ambition must guard against this inner death, by consciously living a
disciplined life of constant seeking for some purposeful goal and heroically
pursuing a shining ideal. Such a life alone is worthwhile; such indeed is the
story of all men who had contributed to life, and whose name History will never
willingly let die.
(II-68)"Therefore", Krishna
summarises "Oh ! Mighty-armed soldier, he is Man-of-Perfection and his
knowledge is steady, whose senses are completely restrained from their objects."
This is the 10th stroke in the word-picture of the Man-of-Perfection.
Now the
intelligent sceptic may ask, "What is the use of a life of complete
self-control when the little joys of life that we can eke out from the
senseobjects are denied ? Would such an empty and berren life be worth living ?
The Geetacharya
declares in apparent absurdity ; ((11-69) "That which is night to all
beings, to that the self-controlled man is awake; that to which all beings are
awake, is night to the man of reflection." In short, ordinary people, who
live in the excitements and perspirations of sense-gratifications, can never
comprehend the fuller joys and ampler bliss enjoyed by a man of self-control.
It is also conversely true that a man of serious reflections (Muni) who, as a
result of his understanding, has risen above the tumultous world of seething
lusts and sweating passions, does not live in our familiar world of ego and
ego-centric desires, longings and attachments. Men-of-thought (Munis) do not
live and suffer our level of consciousness, and its vulgar incompetence. We
accept the baser state of existence seeking power, wealth and sensual
satisfaction—all utterly selfish, and arrogantly self-centred. Such a
life creates restlessness within, and tensions without. We create our own
psychedellic pains and sorrows by wrong thinking and false ways of living. This
psuedo-world of make-belief-joys, of immoral successes, transitory pains and
pangs, is unknown to the man of self-control. "The man of reflection sees
it as night.'' (saa nisha pashyato muneh). But then is not a man of wisdom
living even after attaining perfection, in this very same world where we are ?
Will not the objects around him shoot beams of temptations into him and
generate in his heart desires ? Once the desire is born, is he not thereafter
as plastic clay as we are all now ? Krishna answers all these questions.
(11-70) "As upto brimful and still into the ocean flow the waters so is
the Muni into whom desires flow—he, not a desirer of desires, attains peace."
True. A man-of-reflection (Muni) also lives the common frail world of
sensuous objects, and desires to reach his mind. But his mind never spills
over, just as, the ocean, which is ever full, receives millions of gallons of
Water from all the rivers every minute, and yet never overflows and floods the
continents !
It is a strange
example, and indeed a mathematical curiosity. The oceans are ever-full—rivers
like the Nile and the Tigris the Amazon and the Ganga, the Brahmaputra and the
Krishna-together with all other rivers of the world bring millions of gallons
of water in to the brimful ocean; yet, it still keeps to its own dimensions. So
too the mind of a Muni, is so vast, so deep, so broad that all the desires
reaching it cannot make it spill over into sensuous activity. In our case our
mind is so small and shallow-just a cup of water-one drop more and it overflows
! !
Such a man of
great depths alone lives in this world, in endless peace-never one who
entertains desires. Desire brings agitations-then strife begins, to fulfil the
desires. By the time a desire is satisfied a dozen other sprng up, each
urgently demanding quick and immediate gratifications. How can such a bosom
know the cadence of peace ?
"Thus"
the
Geeta Acharya concludes, (11-71) "He who is devoid of longing, giving
up totally all desires, and lives without the twin selfish ideas of I and
'Mine', he indeed attains peace."
This state of
consciousness in which the Man-of-Perfection lives is called the State of
Brahman-the State of Godhood. That is not a temporary feeling, a passing mood,
a momentary state of benumbing ecstacy—all-forgetting joy—an all-consuming
Beauty. It is a State of Awakening, a new dimension of living, a total
re-orientation in the vision of life. It is permanent : it is an evolutionary
leap of the mental man to the state of immortal Godhood. There is no return
from it : it is eternal, permanent, immutable. (II-72) "This is the State
of being in Brahman, O Partha. None having attained this state gets again
deluded. Living his days in enjoyment of this state, at the end of his life
here, the man attains oneness with Brahman."
(Courtesy : Geeta Office, Powai)
Shri D. A. Ghaisas, who was on the
editorial staff of Shri Sai Leela has been relieved of his responsibilities
from 1-6-74, due to his indifferent health. Due to the sudden demise of prof.
D. D. Parchure, Executive Editor of this magazine, on 1-6-73, a big vacuum was
created; but it goes to the credit of Shri. Ghaisas that he shouldered the
editorial responsibilities of Shri Sai Leela single handed, and brought out
the issues of this magazine for the months of July and August 1973 regularly.
He was an amiable, cooperative and a sincere worker. We, as well as our
readers, will feel his absence very much. [ Editor "] S. 2
—By Dr. S. D.
Parchure, M. A. Ph. D.
Though the
muslims first crossed into India in the 8th century, they were busy in fighting
with the Rajputs for a long time. It was at the end of the 13th Century (1294
A. D.) that Allauddin Khilji first came into the Deccan. Thereafter the waves
of these invaders went on pouring into the Deccan continuously The aggression
of the Muslims was never merely political. Wherever they captured any territory
they did religious oppression in it. In the two and a half centuries that
followed the first entry of the Muslims in the Deccan, they persecuted, the
Hindus in the Deccan to a great extent and the existence of the Hindu religion
itself was threatened. Some great personality was therefore required to give support
to this unsteady position of the Hindu religion and to lift up the sinking
Hinduism as the lord Vishnu supported the sinking world and lifted it up in the
third incarnation of the Varaha Awatar. This hard task of regenerating Hinduism
and creating a confidence among the followers of Hinduism that they were the
followers of a great and unending religion and that their well-being was in
clinging to that religion, came to the lot of Saint Eknath and we find from his
life that this was the mission of his life.
The two rivers
Krishna and Godavari are important to Maha-rashtra from various points of view.
They not only supply water to the cities on their banks, but a number of holy
places are situated in their vicinity. Similarly many Maharashtrian saints
lived at places round about these rivers. The city of Paithan on the Godavari
river was famous as a seat of learning for a long time. In ancient days it was
also famous as a seat of Commerce. In this famous city, the family of Eknath
was living for generations. Shri Bhanudas, who was born in Shaka 1436 (1514 A.
D.) was the great grand father of Saint Eknath, from whose time the history of
this family is known continuously.
Shri Bhanudas
was a pious and religious minded person. In those good old days when there were
no facilities of transport, he used to go from Paithan to Pandharpur on every
Ekadashi in the months of "Ashadha" and "Kartik." He was a
faithful and ardent devotee of the Vithal of Pandharpur and his devotion to that
God was once challenged when his idol was removed from Pandharpur.
Once the king of Vidyanagar had come for
a visit to Pandharpur. When he saw the exquisite beauty of the idol of Vithal
there, he took so much fascination for it that he took away the idol to his
capital. Pandharpur which was a place of pilgrimage for the followers of the
"Warkari" sect became void of, so to say, the life itself and all the
saints of those days came to Bhanudas and requested him to bring back the idol
of Shri Vithal, so that the city would again look lively. Shri Bhanudas then
promised the devotees to do the needful and by the power of his ardent
devotion, he succeeded in bringing back the idol to Pandharpur.
Another version
of this story says that the king of Anagondy had taken away forcibly the idol
of Vital from Pandharpur and Bhanudas brought it back to Phandharpur. We need
not much worry about the name of the king and his place. We have to bear in
mind that the substance of both the above stories is the same and that both of
them eulogize Bhanudas as a great devotee who was a favourite of God Vithal.
It is really no
wonder that a family which had the benediction of so holy a person like
Bhanudas was graced with another religious minded person like Eknath within
three generations. Chakra-pani was the son of Bhanudas and Suryanarayan was the
son of Chakrapani. Bhanudas was a devotee of the Sun and hence his name was
kept as Bhanudas (servant of Bhanu i.e. Sun). He also in his turn named his
grandson after the Sun as Suryanarayan. By the time Suryanarayan was born, the
life of Bhanudas was coming to an end. He therefore just named his grandson and
went to heaven. Saint Eknath himself has given in his books this account of his
great grand father.
In course of
time Suryanarayan was married. The name of his wife was Rukmini, who was the
mother of the great devotee of the God, Shri Eknath. At the time of the birth
of Eknath the "Mool" Nakshatra was in power. Those who have a belief
in the power of the stars, are of opinion that such a child, which is born
within the orbit of the Mool Nakshatra, always comes on the Mool (root) of the
parents and hence such a child loses his parents early. It might be a chance
but it happened likewise in the case of Eknath. He lost his parents within a
short time of his birth and the whole burden of bringing up this child fell on
his grand father Shri Chakrapani.
It may be
because of this early death of his parents or it may be because of our general
apathy towards maintenance of records that we do not know the date of birth or
even the year in which this great personality was born. It is really a pity
that history is not aware of the date of birth of Shri Eknath, who later on
spent his whole life towards the spread of the devotion to God.
The name of
Eknath was also given to him purposefully. In the family of Bhanudas he was the
only one survivor and therefore he came to be called Ekya on Ekanth.
In search of Guru
Eknath was a
worshipper of the God from his childhood. His grandfather Chakrapani performed
his thread ceremony at the age of six according to the custom of those days and
Eknath started his eduction. Though saint Dnyaneshwar wanted to end the
privileged position of the Sanskrit language and though he started writing the
philosophical books in the language of the people viz Marathi, still even after
nearly 300 years the importance of the Sanskrit language had not vanished.
Especially the Brahmin community of those days had to learn Sanskrit as a part
of their eduction. Eknath also had therefore to study the Sanskrit language and
the books that were known in that language at that time. Of course in the case
of Eknath this study was not a waste. This study of the philosopical and
classical books in the Sanskrit language helped Eknath to prepare ground for
his future books in Marathi.
After finishing
this education, Eknath felt like finding out his Guru and taking initiation
from him. He had heard the name of Janardan Swami, who was the chief officer of
the Daulatabad fort, which was then in the hands of the Muslims. Though
Janardan Swami held this position, he was not known more for his political
work. He was more known for his religious work and for his devotion to God.
Shri Eknath was really lucky in getting such a Guru. Eknath had a great respect
for his Guru. In his commentary on Bhag-wat he has bowed down in the very first
"Ovee" to his guru Shri. Janardan Swami, even setting aside the
normal tradition of first bowing down to Shri Ganapati and then paying homage
to Guru.
Eknath was
under the care of his grandfather; but his urge for the guru was so intense
that he eloped from the house of his grand father at Paithan and without
informaing him he came to Janardan Swami. This Guru to whom Eknath had come was
an ardent devotee of Lord Datta and it is said that Shri. Datta used to give
him a "darshan" in human from. Janardan Swami was a family man; but
his family life never interrupted his religious programme or his devotion to
God. Dnyaneshwari and Amritanubhav, these two books of Dnyaneshwar, were liked very
much by Janardan Swami and they were usually being read by him. Eknath used to
listen attentatively to the comments of his guru on both these books of saint.
Dnyaneshwar.
Once when an
attack came on the Daulatabad fort, Janardan Swami was busy in meditation. When
Eknath came to know about this, he dressed himself like his Guru and fought
with the enemy Later on in the day when the Sultan thanked him for throwing
back the enemy's attack, he at once understood what had happened and he told
Eknath that he was really his devoted disciple.
When Eknath was
staying with his Guru, he was given by him. the work of maintaining certain
accounts. Once Janardan Swami asked Eknath to show to him his ledgers in which
he had written the accounts. On going through the accounts, Eknath found that
there was some flow in it. Hence he went through the books for nearly six to
seven hours and located the mistake. In the joyous mood of having located the
mistake, Eknath clapped his hands. Janardan Swami, who was watching the fun,
said to Eknath "If you had concentrated in the same fashion on God, you
would have got permanent joy before which this temporary solace is worth
nothing." On hearing these words of his Guru, it dawned upon Eknath that
he should concentrate more on God and leave aside worldly things.
Friday was the
day of prayer for the muhomedans and hence Janardan Swami used to have a weekly
holiday every Friday. Because of his religious bent of mind he always used to
utilize this holiday for concentration on God and for meditation. On every
Friday he had made it his habit to pay a visit to a picturesque mountain peak
near Daulatabad. There was a lake with crystal clear water at that site. At
this place Lord Datta used to give "Darshan" to Janardan Swami in
human form. On one Friday Janardan Swami took his new disciple to this place
and Eknath was lucky enough to have the "Darshan" of Lord Datta
because of his Guru's grace. Because Eknath was lucky to have such a Guru, who
took so keen interest in the well being of his disciple, it is no wonder that
setting aside the usual practice of saluting the Guru after first saluting lord
Ganapati, Eknath gave preferance to his guru over the Gods and first saluted
his revered Guru.
Sometime after
this incident Janardan Swami accepted Eknath as his disciple and initiated him
in the field of religion. He also advised him not to discard the worship of the
idol even though he may reach a high level in the knowledge of self
realiazation. After this initiation, Janardan Swami advised Eknath to go to the
mountain peak named "Sulabha" near Daulatabad and perform penance
there after taking bath in the lake known as Suryakund which existed there.
According to
his Guru's orders Eknath started his penance on the Sulabha Mountain. When he
would sit for meditation and go into the trance, he would know nothing that
would happen round about him. During that period he would, so to say, be
outside this world. So once when he sat for meditation, one big serpent came to
him and opened his hood on his head in order to protect him from the Sun. One
farmer, who happened to see this, shouted aloud and because of that noise
Eknath moved his body. Knowing that Eknath was coming out of his trance, the
serpent vanished. When the farmer told this story to Eknath he said that he did
not know anything about this as he was deeply in trance during that period. He
also said to the farmer that this must be the arrangement made by God to
protect him from the heat of the Sun.
After observing
penance in this fashion for a few days, one day he God himself stood before
Eknath in human form. Eknath at once bowed down to him and went back to his
Guru according to his instructions. Janardan Swami was glad to know the
progress of his disciple and he told him that he has reached a sufficiently
high level in concentration of mind & meditation and that he can now
proceed for a pilgrimage along with him.
(to be
continued)
Swami
Vivekananda years ago deplored that '"in our country we go down on our
knees before the man who reads the Vedas and do not care for the man who
studies Physics. This is superstition." Time and again he declared in
ringing tones "that Science and Religion will meet and join hands in it,
so with poetry and philosophy; such is to be the religion of the future and if
we can work it out, we may be sure that it is for all ages and
profession."
What do we
witness now? Science had made tremendous strides in the unification of
concepts. Among other things, it has revolutionized the concepts of 'Space'
Time' 'Matter' and 'Energy' and ultimately of the physical universe. Time and
space hitherto considered-absolutely eternal have been reduced to relativity.
Matter at one end and Energy at the other has been resolved to one basic quantity.
What is further remarkable, let us hear the plaintive note of Eddington
"We have chased the solid substance, from the continuous liquid to the
atom, from the atom to the electron and there we have lost it. Somewhere in the
quantum of light, the corpuscular and the non-corpuscular meet and confuse and
exasperate the investigator of truth. Mathematics, the tool of science, works
into equations and has yielded us nothing but equations plus the new knowledge
of the essential emptiness of matter" The last vestiges of the solid matter
have melted away and matter has become as ghostly as anything in a spiritual
séance.
Einstein
elaborating his theory of Relativity has observed that it is futile to look for
anything absolute or a stationary frame of reference in the universe of flux.
Shall we say then the absolute is transcendent? In any case, admittedly the
warp and woof of the phenomenal world is Relativity, Duality and Multiplicity.
The Vedic Seers had visualized this and long ago pronounced in unequivocal
terms that the plurality constituting the phenomenal world is a superimposition
upon Truth and they have intrinsically no reality and tried to impress the
truth through the all too familiar example of a person mistaking a post for a
ghost in the darkness. Fortunately for us modern physics provides us with a
more effective example of appearance vis-a vis reality for our rationalists.
Take for
example a table .We feel the solid matter when we press on it. Modern physics
describes the table as an assembly of molecules and atoms in constant motion
and that the average distances between molecule and molecule and atom and atom
are so great in relation to the size of the molecule, atoms and elementary
particles that in reality the table consists of more of empty space than solid
matter. Why then one is not able to pierce through the table? Physical science
tells us that the table comprises of energy fields which give the property of
solidity and impenetrability.
Physicists in
their drive to probe the hidden secrets in the physical world appear to have
reached a dead-end and have now turned inwardly towards the subtle working of
universal movements. They begin to realize that behind the physical universe a
subtle realm seems to exist which is not entirely mechanical or predictable.
In the decades
following Einstein, scientists are of the view that not only atom is energy
rather than matter but that Atomic Energy itself is 'mind stuff'. Sir James
Jeans in the 'Mysterious Universe' writes that, "the stress of knowledge
is leading towards a non-mechanical Reality and the universe begins to look
more like a great thought than like a great machine" In this context, he
pleaded for a "New Background of Science" one in which matter is
completely eliminated and mind reigns supreme and alone.
In fact Sir Arther
Stanley Eddington writes in his The Nature of Physical World', "In the
world of Physics we watch a shadow graph performance of the drama of familiar
life. The shadow of my elbow rests on the shadow table as the shadow ink flows
over the shadow paper. It is all symbolic and as a symbol the Physicists leave
it. Then comes the alchemist mind who transmutes the symbols. To put the
conclusion crudely the stuff of the world is 'mind stuff'."
It would
appear, in order to correlate the separate entities, the 'Physical', the life
principle, the 'mind stuff' into a co-ordinated unit of Reality the
investigations have to be transferred from the test tube and laboratories to
the field of consciousness, from Physics to Metaphysics.
Charles Robert
Richet, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology, wrote as follows:
" Metaphysics
is not yet officially a science recognised as such. But it is going to be......
At Edinburgh I was able to affirm before 100 Physiologists that our five senses are not our only means of
knowledge and that a fragment of reality sometimes reaches the intelligence in
other ways........ Because a fact is rare, is no reason that it does not exist.
Because a study is difficult, is that a reason for not understanding it?....
Those who have railed at metaphysics as an occult science will be ashamed of
themselves as those who railed at Chemistry on the ground that pursuit of the
philosopher's stone was illusory.......Greetings then to the new science which
is going to change the orientation of human thought."
How prophetic
are the words of Swami Vivekananda pronounced nearly a century ago? He
thundered, "Why believe when you can't reason it? Religion is a question
of being and becoming and not of believing." That is the Vedanta coming
down to us to posterity from the Ancient Seers. It is not sophistry.
By Shri V. S.
Pandurangam
Secunderabad.
The so-called saints of today
Feel happy and gay
In performing magician's tricks
Which they Call miracles
To exploit the religious sentiment
Of the people, ignorant and intelligent
And by their sweet talk and outward show
Of spirituality attract people, behold
and lo!
Alas! many learned judges and doctors
Fall a prey to these things, what a
wonder!
During day they weep and pine
For God but it's woman and wine
They enjoy best at night
Feeling happy and bright!
They Collect money in plenty
Not for Social work or charity,
But spend it on shameful acts of life,
Little caring for degradation and strife!
Now a dada is arrested for forgery
In Calcutta very recently,
About whom we used to read frequently
As the master of spirituality!
So, beware of these things, dear reader,
Though they appear to have charm and
wonder!
The Spiritual
importance of Guru Poornima
By :— Svvami
Kesavaiahji
[The Poornima in the Month of Ashadha is
Known as Guru Poornima. This year the Guru Poornima falls on the 4th of July 1974. As
this is an important day for the devotees ofShri Sai Baba, the following
article written by Swami Kesavaiahji expounding the spiritual importance of
Guru Poornima is being published in this issue-Editor]
After taking
innumerable births as reptiles, birds and animals, one gets, at last, human
birth, which is very hard to obtain. Even Devas, after their Punya (Merit) is
exhasted, are born as human beings to work out their salvation The unique
feature of human birth is that it enables one to rise to great spiritual
heights and finally merge in "Para Brahman" - the highest state, not
attained even by Devas. That is the reason why even Devas envy human birth.
After getting human birth, one should not waste his time in the pursuit of
ephemeral things of this world and in the enjoyment of fleeting desires, which
are all transient and lead to misery. Realising how precious human life is and
knowing that Death is certain and may snatch us at any moment, one should be
ever alert to achieve the object of our life viz. God-realization. The most
effective and speedy way to gain our object is to approach a Sad-Guru, who has
himself attained 'God Vision'. Such a 'Sad Guru' is Sri Baba. He is a precious
jewel among saints and a Saviour of the first order.
When
Srr"Sai Baba was in the flesh, He himself started celebration of 'Guru
Poornima' at Shiridi. 'Vyasa Poornima', which falls in the month of Ashadha, is
considered a very important sacred day from time immemorial. It is dedicated to
the worship of Vyasa Maharishi, the author of the Vedas, Mahabharata (the fifth
Veda) and the Bhagavata. During the Guru Pooja day at Shiridi, devotees used to
worship the holy feet of Sri Sai Baba and present shawls, fruits, flowers,
sandal and coins to Him. The benefits that accrue to the devotees performing
'Padapuja' to a Guru on this auspicious day are serveral and invaluable.
Every one has
heard about Sage Narada. He is a very great Bhakta, intensely devoted to Sriman
Narayana and always singing His sacred names. In his previous birth, he was the
son of a poor widow, who was serving saints. Through their holy association,
the young boy got God-vision and in his next birth, he became a great and
ardent devotee of Narayana and a saviour of mankind. This single episode is
sufficient to prove the greatness of Guru-Bhakthi-Para-Bhakthi is supreme
devotion to God (Guru). The devotee should have absolute faith in the infinite
mercy of the Guru and unshakable confidence in His grace. The guile-less love
of the Gopies of Brindavan towards Lord Sri Krishna is the highest form of
Bhakthi.
On this most
sacred and auspicious day, I would appeal to every devotee to put sole trust in
the Guru-Sri Sai Baba and pray for His Mercy and protection remembering His
solemn pledge contained in the following memorable words :-
"Make Me the sole object of your
thoughts and actions and you will, undoubtedly attain "Paramartha".
(the spiritual goal of life) Look at me wholeheartedly and I in turn, look at
you similarly. As soon as a devotee calls unto Me with love I will appear and
will never let him fall. I will give my head to save him. No sadhanas nor
proficiency in the six Shastras are necessary. Have faith and confidence in
your Guru. Blessed is he that knows the greatness of his Guru and thinks him to
be Hari, Hara, Brahma (Thrimurthi) incarnate".
May Sri Sai
Baba shower His choicest blessings on all His devotees.
[Speech delivered by H. H. Sri Sai
Padananda Radhakrishna Swamiji on the occasion of the opening of the Kalyana
Mandira and Installation of Baba's Portrait and Idols of Rama, Laxmana, Sita
and Maruti in it at Pavagada, Tumkur District, Karnataka State.]
Sri Sai is to
me a loving Mother, a tender Father, a Spiritual Guide and Divinity Himself. He
protects all and protects me. His love is as unfathomable as the depth of the
ocean and his unfailing grace is unlimited as the sky.
His love is
universal because it pervades the whole universe and it reaches every body and
is available to every being in the Universe. It is not human being alone who
enjoys the blessings of His Love, Mercy and Grace as there are so many myriads
of beings including those apparently lesser than human being in the
evolutionary order, who reside on the earth. Sri Sai's Love extends to them
all, irrespective of nationality, caste, creed, colour, health, wealth, etc.
It is devoid of selfishness which is the root cause of all evils.
The progress in
this path of universal love which Baba teaches, once started, will not stop
with mere realisation of the fact, but it will lead us to the Truth that the
function of Love is to serve and sacrifice and to spread happiness and
lessen misery. There is no greater end than this in life .Love is nothing but
Truth and Truth is nothing but Love.
Human happiness
will be commensurate with this awareness and the faith and faithfulness with
which this true and straight path is trodden. We shall then not noly be
ourselves happy but we shall spread happiness among others. This is the path
not merely shown but also trodden by all saints and sages at all times and
climes. True happiness is that happiness that no outside agency can take it
away from us.
There can be no
beauty where there is misery; There can be nothing but ugliness where there is
selfishness; there cannot be violence or hatred where there is Love. Love is
Beauty, Bliss Absolute and Baba is Beauty, Love and Truth.
Baba is the
embodiment of Love because he knows only to give without asking for anything in
return. This is true Selflessness, the force that binds mortals to mortals and
mortals to immortals.
Baba passed
away in Shirdi in Ahmadnagar district in the yeaj 1918. His entire life was
devoted to the amelioration of the state of the suffering people who nocked to
him in their thousands for succour and relief. His manner and means were
superhuman and marvellous. Among his devotees were Hindus, Muslims, Parsis and
Christians, rich and poor, men and women, and aged and the very young. They
knew but one Saviour ,but one God, and that was Baba. And His love was
superhuman because His sacrifice was superhuman. His power was superhuman
because His love was superhuman, a love that knew no bounds. Boundless love,
boundless sacrifice, boundless power, boundless service, that was Baba, that
is Baba.
In His
immediate presence, Baba's devotees and disciples were filled with feelings of
fraternity towards each other and they pulled together as his children.
"Love ye one another as I Love ye all," was his mandate. Baba wants
us to realise this truth, the truth of the identity of Love and Truth, the
Truth that Love and Truth are not different, the Truth that the Love that
unites us in brotherhood is also the SUPREME LOVE that binds us to God.
Let us bow to
Baba, who is Supreme Bliss and who alone can give us Supreme Bliss, the Bliss
that goes beyond pain and pleasure. Let us bow to Baba who is SUPREME
CONSCIOUSNESS who alone can take us beyond the pairs of opposites. Let us bow
to Baba who alone can teach us the Truth of Upanishadic Mahavakya—
TAT-TVAM-ASI—"That thou art." Let us bow to Baba who abides in
our hearts as the immaculate and eternal witness, who sees all, knows all.
This is a happy
occasion and an auspicious occasion when we are installing the portrait of Baba
and Idols of Rama and others in this Mandir. ON THIS HAPPY OCCASION LET ME
INSTAL IN YOUR HEARTS, IN THE HEARTS OF EVERY ONE OF YOU, THE PORTAIT OF BABA.
We are all
grateful to Sri Shankar Setty who has built the Kalyan Mandir in the name of
his father of revered memory and has arranged to instal Baba's Portrait so that
it may also serve as Baba Mandir, where Baba's ideals will be honoured in
letter and spirit by the devotees. I pray for the welfare and prosperity of Sri
Shankar Setty and all his family members, who have set an example of service
and sacrifice by their noble act of donating the Mandir for a worthy cause.
Let us all pray. Let all true and sincere
disciples and doevtees of Baba pray with me, for the welfare of all mankind,
for the all-round peace and prosperity of the entire humanity.
May all be
happy. May all be healthy. May good befall all. May none know sorrow.
May blessedness
prevail everywhere.
Om Shantih!
Shantih! Shantih!
SAI PADANANDA
RADHAKRISHNA SWAMIJI
Pavagada,
Yogi Raj Shri
Vasudevanand Saraswati
(A Biography)
(Contd)
By:-Shri S. N.
Huddar.
Blessing for
Issues
Tatyasaheb
Inamdar of Kawathe Guland came to see Swami Maharaj with his wife .He said,
"Swamiji, I married this lady as advised by You 42 years before. But I
have no issue as yet," He showed his wife's horoscope also. Inamdar asked,
"How did you select such a girl for me?" Swamiji smiled and asked
Shri Inamdar to do anushthan and gave a coconut to each as prasad while returning.
Inamdar took a Copy of Swamiji's photo from the priest. He returned the copy
and took another copy. In the night both saw a dream in which Swamiji said,
"You did not like my Photo. Then return the prasad also." saying so
Swamiji took back the two, coconuts given to them. Next day they came to Swami
Maharaj and narrated the dream. Swamiji said, "Yesterday a person told me
that he was told in a dream; 'O, fool you are sleeping with foot towards me.'
and gave him a slap. He awoke and saw that there was a photo of Guru at his
feet. He changed the direction of sleeping. One should not commit mistake
again, God gives punishment." So saying Swamiji again gave them cocoanut
and asked to imporve their behaviour. Inamdar returned and he had a son and a
daughter by the blessings of Swami Maharaj.
Gajanan Shastri
Sadhle son of Shankarshastri of Mangaon (who had stopped Swamiji to come to him
for studying Sanskrit) lived at Bombay. Blood was coming from the nostrils of
his wife. In spite of treatments of Doctors and others, she had no relief. He
came with his wife to see Swami Maharaj at Vadi, He brought with him fruits,
chati, Dhakli, bowl for Swamiji who distributed them to others. For nose
trouble, Swamiji gave 3 pudis of Bhasma and asked to mix it with juice of Board
and put in the nostrils. He also gave a mantra for having issues. After taking
the medicine, the bleeding stopped and after recitation of the Mantra as
directed, he had a daughter and a son. His brother also had no issue. He was
asked to take rounds around an Ashwatha tree. After doing this he also got a
son.
Blessing for money
Annaji
Krishnaji Pujari of Vadi was much in debts. He daily came to Swami Maharaj and
sat in a corner in melancholy mood. Swamiji enquired about his welfare, He
said, "I am a post-man getting petty salary in which I cannot maintain
family and repay the debts." Swamiji explained to him a process of
preparing a Pak (Tonic). Pujari prepared it for sale and was soon relieved of
his debts.
Sakharam Bapu
Gende, a priest of Vadi, was asked to recite 'Datta Mala Mantra' After doing
this he began to get money from his tenants. He was a photographer at Vadi.
Similarly many others fulfilled their desires after abiding by the
advice of Swamiji, Some were relieved of spirit troubles. Some females began to
live with their husbands happily.
Rules of Conduct for Priests
Swami Maharaj
laid down some rules for the behaviour of the priests. But some did not like
the Rules and blamed Swamiji. For the blessings of Shri Datta they performed two
Maha Rudras and 500 persons were fed. At the completion of the second, Swamiji
had come for Prasad. This time the priests put a chati of Lord Datta on the
body of Swamiji. After getting chati, Swamiji decided to go to the North as
told by Shri Datta.
Knowing that
Swamiji would soon leave Vadi, people felt very sorry. Many requested him to
stay; but Swamiji said, "I cannot act against the wishes of Lord
Datta." Narayan Swami festival was on chaitra Vad 30. four days after. So
Swamiji stayed till that day.
Departure from Vadi
On Vaishakh
Shudh 1, the departure day of Swami Maharaj, crowds of poeple came to see him
and receive his prasad. At 4 in the afternoon Swamiji stood, took his Chati,
came down, for darshan of Lord Datta's Paduka. He prayed Lord Datta and advised
the priests of all the four groups, "Behave well as your forefathers did
and read, some portion of 'Shri Gurucharitra' daily. You will be relieved of
the difficulties. Narasinha Saraswati (Dikshit Swami) will be here. Do as per
his guidance. Do not leave the feet of Lord Datta."
As he came out
of the Mandir, 10 to 15 boys stood in a line and chanted a Marathi Pad, meaning
of which is as follows:
Guru Rai Kindly do not go; leaving us
here as orphans
How shall we bear your absence?
All is dull and soulless without Thee.
This was a most
pathetic seen; All were shedding tears. This is an occasion similar to one when
Shri Narsinha Saraswati left-Gangapur for Shri Shailgiri. Women of Vadi waved
aarti to him and applied Akshat, Kunkum to Swamiji's forehead. People accompanied
him upto Jodlimbe Maruti. Swamiji stopped here, sprinkled water of his bowl on
the crowd, gave his blessings and asked them to return. He said, "If you
all come here, who will look to the Dhoop, Aarti Etc. of Lord Datta?"
Swamiji reached
Shirol at one in the night of Vaishakh Shud 1, 1827 (1905 A. D.) He stayed at
Datta Mandir for 3 days. Early in the morning Swami Maharaj went to
Pancha-Ganga, one mile away, for bath. After rituals, he explained 'Upanishat'
to the interested. After alms, he gave medicines, mantras to the distressed
persons.
On Vaishakh
Shud 4, Swamiji started from Shirol. While departing he addressed to Narsinha
Saraswati and others, "Lord Datta is living. Live and act with
devotion." Swamiji reached Miraj Ghat-Miraj is 3-4-miles from here.
Buttermilk was brought from there. A Photographer of Miraj took a photo of
Swamiji at this place also. Swami Maharaj started for Pandharpur. He halted at
Kamala-pur on the way. Swamiji saw in a dream a saint whose hands reached his
knees. He said, to Swamiji, "You go everywhere, why not have a look at
me?" Swamiji awoke and asked Deo, who he was. Deo Said, "He is Swami
Samarth of Akkalkot. He wishes you to come to his place and write a poem on
him." Swamiji said, "This tongue is given to Lord Datta. On his
advice and information, some lines may be composed."
At Pandharpur,
Swamiji said, "I am going to Akkalkot." Shri Datta told him to go to
Gangapur from Akkalot. At Gangapur, he should take darshan of Paduka and
observe silence for 3 days.
Akkalkot and Gangapur
Swamiji came to
Akkalkot, took darshan of Swami Samarth and proceeded to Gangapur. He took
Darshan of Paduka but he had no darshan in person. He went to Papvinashi Teerth
and stayed there for 3 days. He was asked to go to Sangam for Darshan. At
sangam Swamiji asked, "You had declared that you will not leave the Math
of Gangapur, then how you are here?" Lord Datta replied, "As
behaviour of the priests is not good, I am living here."
A brahmin
devotee, Tukaram, was serving Lord Datta taking only fruits for 3 years. In
order to give him darshan in the from of Swami Maharaj, Swamiji was asked to go
to Gangapur, Swamiji . Composed an ashtak of 8 stanzas for Tukaram.
Krishna Lahari
At Vadi,
priests had requested Swami Maharaj to write a stotra 'Krishna Lahari' in the
style of 'Ganga Lahari' for their recitation.
While going to
Gangapur, Krishna mai gave darshan to Swamiji and asked him to compose
'Krishna-Lahari' containing 61 shlokas. Swamiji composed this stotra at
Gangapur in a short-time.
From Gangapur,
he proceeded to Humanabad and thence to Gangakhed. He stayed there for Dashahar
on the bank of Godavari. He had taken Sanyasa here after death of his wife,
Annapurnabai. He then started for Karanja. On the way he took darshan at Parali
Vaijanath and then went to Mahur. He took darshan of Shri Dattatraya and
Renukamata. Then went to Ondha Nagnath. He then came to Hingoli and stayed for
a night. Next day he started westword and reached Narsi in jestha Vadya. He was
travelling even in rains.
CHATURMAS - 15 Shak 1827 (1905
A. D.) Narsi
Swami Maharaj
stopped at Sitaram Bhatji Ashtekar, who had Audumber and Ashwatha trees at his
door. Sitaram bhat lived on Gangatat; but for some reason he had come to Narsi.
Kayadhu river was flooded. He stayed in Rammandir.
Here people
were not acquainted with Swamiji's mystic powers. But later people began to
come in large numbers for his Puran. His seat being in a narrow place, all
persons could not go to him for prasad. So he sat outside the Mandir also in
another from. When persons came out from inside, they wondered to see Swami
Maharaj sitting outside also.
Swami Maharaj
went for bath on the river. Many local persons accompanied him and took bath on
the lower side of the river. After morning rites, he would teach Panch-Dashi
,Brahma-Karma, Bhagwat to different persons. At Narsi, Swami Maharaj composed
"Datta
Champu". He also gave medicines and mantras and cured many persons.
Chunilal
Marvadi suffered from a severe headache. He had tried several medicines, but he
had no relief. He approached Swami Maharaj and prayed for means of relief.
Swami Maharaj said, "I am neither a Vaidya nor a Sadhu." But he did
not leave Swamiji's company. At last one day Swamiji said to him, "Look at
this tree-Take its skin, rub it in woman's milk and apply the paste on your
head." Chunilal tried this and the same night half the pain was
diminished. After some days' treatment, he had complete cure.
Vishwanath
Joshi was a candidate in court. He wished to have Swamiji's mantra updesh. But
Swamiji soon left Narsi. He had the updesh at Pawani later, He wished to appear
for Pleader's examination. For success, he observed two Gurucharitra's weekly
parayanas at Basar. But he did not see any dream, hence he was dejected. The
same night, Swamiji came in his dream and said, "Jf you try, then what is
not possible?" He appeared in the examination but failed. He narrated this
to Swamiji, when he was at Kurugaddi, and asked "How did your words not
prove true? I won't appear in the examina tion now." Swamiji said,
"Don't be foolish. Pay the fees at Hyderabad and appear in the
examination." He was not keeping good health, besides he was with jswami
Maharaj at Rajur and other places, due to which he could not get sufficient
time for study. Still reciting Swamiji's name he appeared in the examination
and passed successfully. He practised at Hingoli.
A woman has Divine Darshan
Once Swami
Maharaj went to the river alone at midday. A woman also had been there to fetch
water. Swami Maharaj was sitting under a tree and a six month's charming child
was on his laps sucking his left hand thumb and looking at Swami Maharaj. The
woman saw this scene and forgot her work of fetching water.
After some
time, when Swamiji looked upwards he saw the woman. The child disappeared
suddenly. The woman lost her senses. Swamiji came to her, put some water in
her mouth. When she opened her her eyes he said, "You are very fortunate,
but do not tell this to anybody."
Namasaptaha for Averting Plague
Plague had
started in the neighbouring area of Vadi. To avoid its attack on Vadi, people
thought of doing some Anushthan and requested Narsimha Saraswati to suggest
some. He asked people to recite 'Digambara Digambara Shripad Vallabha
Digambara'' in the Brahmanand Math. Photo and Paduka of Swami Maharaj were
placed there and recitation week was started. Swami Maharaj was informed of
this and he also gave his consent and blessings. Plague did not attack Vadi.
The recitation was however to be continued till the arrival of Swami Maharaj
to Vadi. Swamiji expressed that, after seeing Ganga, his feet would return.
Murti fell from Palakhi
Once when
Palakhi was in rounds, the murti came down at the hands of Gundu Khombare. This
was a sign of some impending danger. Gundu Khombare and others came to see
Swamiji at Narsi. When Swamiji knew this, he asked Shri Datta the reason of
coming down. Shri Datta said angrily "The priests are not following the
rules made by you, on the contrary they are abusing you. They put impure things
on Paduka. Make a Trust and arrange puja by others. The behaviour of priests is
not changed and putting of dirty things is continued. I am tired of this place,
so they should be punished."
Swami Maharaj
told this to the priests and said "If you do not improve, the consequenses
will be dangerous. Improve your behaviour and serve God. Beg his pardon and
pray him with 'Karuna Tripadi' (Three Padas composed by Swamiji) daily. He is
kind as parents. So he humble before him again and again." Since then
'Karuna Tripadi' is sung at Vadi before Palakhi,daily.
Departure from Narsi
Two months
passed at Narsi delightfully. He was asked to depart from this place and
knowing this, the people were very sorry. On Bhadrapad Shuddha 14, Swami
Maharaj told in Purana that he would have Kshour (taking of hair on head)
tomorrow and start from there. Mahadeo Barber heard this and he wished to have
the opportunity of doing this service to Swamiji. Swamiji gave his consent.
After Kshour, people asked the barber to take out thorns from Swamiji's feet.
After washing the feet he took out 20 thorns.
Swamiji took
bath, tied Parashu Mudra to Dand. This showed his resolution to leave Narsi.
People requested him to stay 2 days more as they wanted to do Samaradhana in
completion of Chatur-mas. Swamiji said, "Do what you like to do in the
name of God." However he agreed to stay. On purnima Swamiji started for
simo-llanghan (crossing a limit of a town) in procession with music. The path
was decorated by sprinking water and with rangoli designs. At many houses araties
were waved around his face. Swamiji sat under a Shami tree and read 11th
chapter of Geeta, did arati and distributed prasad and returned to his place in
the town. Next day after morning rituals, he started saying 'Shri Guru Deo
Datta' from the house of Sitaram Bhatji. 300, to 400 persons accompanied him
with musical instruments for about 2 miles. People of another town also came
in procession from opposite direction, to receive Swami Maharaj, who asked the
persons of Narsi to return, as it was his ritual time and he came to a river
for bath.
Kulkarni of an
adjacent village fell straight before Swamiji and requested him, "As you
have lived in Narsi for 2 months, please stay for a day in my village Gotegaon
and give prasad to all." He requested Narsi People also to stay for
prasad. Swamiji agreed and lived in a mandir at Gotegaon. Chunilal placed his
head on Swamiji's feet. Others took opportunity to touch his feet. Swamiji had
to stand for 2 hours.
Basim, Karanja, Amraoti, Multapi
Swami Maharaj
reached Basim after 3 days. He stayed in Karuneshwar Mandir. Sakharam
Deshpande's son was suffering from some disease, which could not be controlled
by Doctor's and Vaidya's Medicines. Swamiji cured him. Dhangre Pleader's father
was serious. He was given a chanted 'Tait' to keep in the neck. He also
gradually recovered.
On the third
day he left Basim and came to Karanja, the birth place of Shri Narsinha
Saraswati (Shri Datta incarnation in the 14 the centuary). Here Swamiji stayed
in a Hanuman Mandir. Here the priest after offering the Naivedya used to eat it
himself. In the presence of Swamiji the priest did not eat the Naivedya. When
Swamiji was in Meditation, Hanuman appeared before him with open mouth showing
that he was hungry. Swamiji told this to the priest, who then ate the Navedya.
Swamiji said. "God is fond of devotion. Do as you have been doing. You
need not change the rule of your pooja for anyone."
From here Swami
Maharaj went to Amraoti took darshan of Jagadamba. proceeded further and
reached Multapi. He stayed here in Datta Mandir for about a month, as his
dysentary trouble had increased due to walking on high ghats. After Diwali he
went to Chitrakot on Payaswini-Mandakini sangam and thence came to Hoshangabad.
He stayed here in Datta Mandir and due to request of people read Puran.
He thence went
to Sanchi and after some days to Bhelsa. Here there were many disciples of
Swami Maharaj. Datta Jayanti was
celebrated here. A shastri read Sanskrit
Gurucharitra in the morning and Swamiji explained its meaning in vernacular in
the afternoon. After festival Swamiji was asked to depart on the same day.
Slap on Cheek
People had
arranged to feed 100 persons on the next day and requested Swamiji to stay for
the day, else all the material would be thrown in the river. Swamiji went to
nearby place and returned the next day for Sangata. When Swamiji was in
meditation he had a strong slap on his cheek due to which his ear and eye were
swollen. This was the punishment for not obeying Shri Datta's adesh (order)
fully. Swamiji said "I did so not for myself but for the satisfaction of
the Brahmans and if you do not approve of this, the other ear and eye should
also be hurt." Shri Datta smilled and the swelling subsided.